Illusions, Lies, and Sparks of Gold
by BoldlyGoingNowhereFast
Summary: After the battle in New York, the Avengers have gone their separate ways, and Tony finds himself alone for the first time in months. That's when the Trickster God, who should definitely by locked up, starts visiting him, seemingly for no other reason than to drive him mad. Takes place after hte first Avengers movie, before the events of Iron Man 3.
1. Chapter 1

Tony took a large swig of the scotch in his hand, taking pleasure in the way it burned down the back of his throat. Standing in place, he stared somberly through the huge windows of Stark Tower and out at the glowing cityscape of New York City, alive and thriving after the huge blow it had been dealt. It was The City That Never Sleeps, and it didn't go down without a fight. Tony felt like it was mocking him for his dark mood, glittering and prosperous while the billionaire felt anything but.

Tony turned his head from the resilient city to the freshly repaired stone flooring of the penthouse, smooth and unmarked. It was all finally repaired and replaced from the beating it had been given, and now it was quiet and empty as it hadn't been in months. Tony thought on that carefully and realized that it probably had _neve_r been this quiet, from the workmen, to Pepper, to the Avengers, to the cleanup crews. It was like a museum now, a tribute to times passed.

The Avengers, who had used this place as their living quarters and headquarters after the battle of New York were gone now, back to their various walks of life, some of them much too far away to ever think about contacting. Tony told himself firmly that he didn't miss them. They had been loud, disruptive, and Thor had broken both his toaster and his microwave during his stay. Clint's jokes had been barbaric, and Bruce had taken up his precious lab space. Five other residents and seemingly random visits from SHIELD agents had been too much for him to deal with on an around-the-clock basis.

Damn it, Tony did miss them. The silence was all-consuming, especially now that Pepper was absent from Stark Tower. Tony was resolutely not thinking about Pepper, especially not at a time like this. The silence was eating at his sanity like a corrosive acid. He needed a way to fight against the biting loneliness, so he left the empty, echoing penthouse for the lower floors where the living areas were. He stepped onto his personal elevator and almost wished that there were sweaty workmen there, just so that the silence didn't echo so badly. Almost.

No, Tony wasn't that pitiful. He had lived on his own before, and he wasn't going to fall apart now, not when his life had finally been given back to him. He was Tony Stark, and what he did better than anyone else was shove his problems deep and deal with them at a better time, or even better, not at all. Good old alcohol was a dear friend that he could always return to in times of need.

He sipped his scotch as he stepped out of the gleaming elevator and headed towards the living room where he sprawled gratefully on the couch. It welcomed him with its soft cushions, and he sighed heavily.

"Jarvis, put on something mind-numbing, would you?"

"Indeed sir. Perhaps the Learning Channel?"

The television switched onto TLC and Tony zoned out with the sound of some pointless reality show blaring in the background. See, this was good. There was no world to be saved, no villains to defeat, and no need to be the good guy. It was peaceful, and he could finally get work done if he wanted to. He could invent something, improve his suit, take a vacation. The possibilities were endless, just as they had been before the Avengers had taken hold of his life and completely flipped it upside down. If only Tony could manage to scrub the knowledge of gods and aliens and other dimensions out of his head. The thought of his own helplessness against the dreadful powers of the void had been haunting him incessantly, to the point that Tony wondered if he was going insane. Tony bottled these feelings ruthlessly and hoped they would go away.

Tony was so caught up in his own mind that he didn't notice that he wasn't alone until his companion spoke.

"Those dresses are nearly identical. Why does she not just choose one and get the whole dreadful business over with?"

Tony's glass made a terrible shattering noise, hitting the slate flooring as Tony launched off the couch.

Loki merely raised an eyebrow from where he was sitting on the other side of the sofa. How long had he been there? Tony's mind started running at top speed, calculating how long it would take him to deploy his suit and be safe from Loki's rage. The numbers didn't seem too promising. He could still hear the glass shattering around him as he was thrown out the window the last time he had angered the god.

"What. The fuck." Tony growled. He was going to have to just wait this out and see what Loki wanted.

"I do not understand how this mindless form of entertainment can be at all stimulating," Loki continued, gesturing at the television as if Tony wasn't having a mini anxiety attack.

"Sir, there has been an influx of unregistered energy in your vicinity," Jarvis chimed in belatedly. Loki glanced up at the roof in much the same way that Thor had when he had heard Jarvis the first time. He didn't seem overly perturbed, though.

"Yeah, thanks a lot, buddy," Tony responded.

Loki was grinning smugly now. "Did I catch you off your guard, Tony Stark?"

"Only a little bit," Tony said with a shrug, attempting to quell his panic. "What the hell are you doing here? I thought you were doing time in ass guard," Tony questioned, straightening.

"Asgard."

"Alright, Asgard," Tony corrected himself distractedly. "Why are you here instead of there, locked up in some cell like you should be?"

Loki didn't answer his question, electing instead to lounge on the couch as if he belonged there. He didn't seem exceptionally murderous, but you never knew when it came to super villains. Images of the destruction of skyscrapers and the sleeping form of Coulson in a hospital bed flashed in his mind, reminding Tony how dangerous the god in front of him was.

"Since you're here, you want that drink?" When in doubt, offer alcohol. Let it never be said that Tony was a bad host, even to intruders.

"I believe I will pass," Loki responded, leaning forward and plucking what looked like a home renovation magazine from the coffee table. Tony wasn't even sure where that had come from, as none of the team seemed the home DIY type. The image of Loki holding a magazine was one that Tony had never thought he would see. Tony took a closer look at the god, noticing that the leather armor had been traded for leather of a more casual nature. Interesting.

"You know, I'm all for television time with a buddy, but you're kind of a criminal on the top ten most dangerous criminals list. You might kill me, and I really don't feel like dying today. Actually, no bodily harm at all would be preferable, if at all possible."

Loki set down the magazine and stood smoothly. "Maybe I enjoy making you sweat."

"I appreciate the sentiment, but I draw the line at having a boyfriend with world-conquering tendencies," Tony responded humorlessly.

Loki blinked. "You are a strange mortal."

"So I've been told. Though I'm pretty sure you and your brother are the only ones that call me a mortal when they do it." Tony stared at the glass shatters and spatter of drink that coated the floor and decided that was a problem for where there wasn't a murderous god in his building. "Although, considering the hair and outfit choice, I'd say you're one to talk."

Loki glanced down at himself with a small smirk. "I am not mortal, therefore do not follow mortal rules of normalcy," he replied smoothly, strolling closer to where Tony was standing. Tony was suddenly very aware of how vulnerable he was without his suit, and had Loki always been that tall?

"You gods sure think highly of yourselves, don't you?" _Very good, Tony, goad the murderous immortal. _Tony groaned inwardly.

"Would you not also think highly of yourself if you had the ability to kill with but a flick of your hand?" He held up a thin-fingered hand as if to demonstrate before letting it drop to his side again. He tilted his head, eyes glittering. "Oh, right. You do have that ability, don't you? Merchant of Death, they once called you. Your name has changed to Iron Man, but the idea is the same; you still kill fellow mortals with ease."

Tony narrowed his eyes. Loki was pulling strings, Tony knew, but it didn't make the sting feel any better. Tony reminded himself that Clint had told him everything when under Loki's control, which was why Loki knew so much about them. It made Tony's blood boil. "What are you here? Really, I have better things to be doing."

"Touchy, are we?" Loki said calmly, but he backed off and the tension in the room eased. He gazed around the newly remodeled floor plan with a curiosity that made Tony's nerves spike.

"You should not worry yourself, Stark. I have no intention of killing you now with no one here to miss you."

"So reassuring," Tony muttered, shaking his head and wondering at his luck.

A strange expression passed over Loki's face then, a combination of irritation and something that Tony couldn't read. "I hate to cut this wonderful meeting short, but I have business to attend to. Thank you for your…" he cast a look around the room, at the broken glass, and then back at Tony, "hospitality."

He was gone just as suddenly as he had arrived, leaving nothing but a small shower of yellow sparks in his wake. Tony stood in place, glaring at the spot where Loki had disappeared from, feeling crawling horror and leftover adrenaline coursing through his system.

Tony's eyes traveled then to the shards of glass he had left on the floor, deciding he needed another drink before any work was to be done, before any thoughts about what had just happened would be allowed. With not one of the team anywhere close enough to call, and with no possible way Tony was going to ring up SHIELD, there was nothing to be done. Tony figured that if Loki wanted Tony dead, there was nothing he could do about it. The thought gave him no comfort, but Tony was helpless against it.

As Tony stared at the dark ceiling of his bedroom that night, he pondered what Loki could possibly be up to, if tormenting Tony was on his list of things to do, and if it involved more world domination. If so, Tony sure hoped the 'pester Tony' phase didn't last long; he liked his sleep and would much rather not develop a stress ulcer from an infestation of sadistic demigods.

XXX

The next two weeks dragged by as Tony attempted to tie up affairs in New York, wishing for nothing but his mansion and his Audis and the warm California sunshine. The thought of hopping on his jet and heading back home was a beacon in his near future, motivating him to work harder and finish what needed to be done. He only had one meeting left until he was permitted to go home, and he could almost taste the freedom.

Unfortunately, this meeting was at seven in the morning, an ungodly hour for someone who was having trouble sleeping. Tony wasn't just having trouble sleeping; when he finally fell asleep, Tony struggled with nightmares left over from the horrors of New York, the horrors of the strange, barren universe that he had glimpsed through the portal. Tony was little more than dead on his feet. He wasn't even sure if he would be aware enough to sign on the right line when instructed.

Tony stood in his kitchen like a zombie, waiting for his morning coffee to brew and feeling like death warmed over. What he needed was a large cup of caffeine and a skin-searing shower in an attempt to burn away the feeling that he was still asleep.

Tony was still staring at the coffee pot and willing it to brew faster when Loki appeared in his kitchen in a fizzle of golden sparks, causing Tony to do a double take and then suffer another near-heart attack.

"Can you not do that?" Tony complained, leaning his weight on the counter to prevent toppling over. "What the hell…"

"I apologize," Loki replied, his gaze levelled at where Tony's hand was placed over the arc reactor, its glow seeping through Tony's night shirt and fingers. The god was leaning against the counter and looking way too alert for this god awful time in the morning. Tony wished the set of knives was in reach.

"You don't look sorry," Tony grumbled with a shake of his head, attempting to pin the intruder with his iciest glare which probably would have been more affective had he not been suffering from bedhead and wearing his pajamas. It wasn't fair how immaculate Loki looked in his leather and green fabric, his hair perfectly combed from his face. It was too early in the morning for him to look that spiffy. Tony was not one to be easily embarrassed; his public life was testament to that, but his Captain America pajama bottoms were not really what he wanted to be known for. He had bought them on a whim and with thought of the expression Steve would have when he saw them, but now as Loki eyed them and raised an eyebrow, Tony wished he had passed.

Loki's face held the faintest traces of mirth at Tony's befuddlement. "You've caught me. No, I do not regret startling you, as I find it humorous."

Tony's retort was interrupted by the beep of the coffee maker, the sound of salvation in his train wreck of a life. Tony was about to offer Loki a cup when he realized that the guy had almost given him a heart attack _twice_ and did not deserve any of this heavenly gift of a drink. He fixed himself a steaming cup, attempting to ignore Loki's curious gaze. He almost felt bad for Loki, who probably didn't even know what coffee was.

"What is that device in your chest?" Loki asked out of the blue, catching Tony off guard.

"That's none of your business," Tony snapped. "You've got a lot of nerve, coming here in the wee hours of the morning, uninvited, just to ask me crap you know you won't get an answer to." Tony took an aggressive sip of his coffee only to get burned on the piping hot liquid. "Son-of-a-bitch!"

Loki stared.

"As much as I adore your company, I have things to do. Do you have a reason to be here, or are you just being creepy?" Tony asked, irritated.

"I am here for much the same reason as I was the last time," Loki replied smoothly.

"That would be great and all, but I don't exactly recall you explaining yourself last time either."

Mischief was playing on the god's face.

Tony grunted, turning away from the trickster and trudging towards his bedroom, clutching his coffee cup tightly. If Loki insisted upon playing nothing but mind games with him, Tony wasn't going to alter his schedule. Loki could call him if he was preparing for something more exciting to happen. As it was, Loki followed him, silently gazing around the place when Tony glanced back at him in irritation. His gaze fell back on Tony when he stopped at his bedroom door and turned around.

"Unless you have more interest in me than you're letting on, I suggest you find something else to do while I take a shower. Maybe you might even think about leaving" He was in his bedroom with the door shut between him and Loki before the perplexed god could reply. Tony then stared at the door with belated rationality running through his mind, wondering if he had just scheduled his own death sentence. He also wondered if telling Loki to get the hell out of dodge would just mean an angry god rampaging around his unguarded tower filled with important technology.

As Tony turned away from the door and headed into the bathroom he gave orders to Jarvis. "Tell me if Loki's doing anything suspicious, would you Jarvis?"

"Yes sir. I have already put a tracker on Mr. Laufeyson's energy signature."

Tony nodded, confident in his AI's ability to control the situation. With his nerves a touch steadier, he locked the bathroom door and got ready for his shower, stripping and stepping into the hot stream of water. As the water eased away his tensed muscles, Tony wondered when his life had gotten so out of hand that he was being visited in his home by the God of Mischief. Well, problems didn't seem so hopeless when in a heavenly shower, Tony had realized. It felt amazing and distracted him from his current situation.

He was rinsing the shampoo out of his hair when Jarvis spoke.

"Sir, Mr. Laufeyson is hacking into your personal tablet and beginning to browse through your files."

Tony cursed and turned the water off. He wasn't sure what Loki would do with the files on his tablet, but the thought of him looking through what was supposed to be Tony's and Tony's alone plucked a nerve. He quickly dried off, wrapping a towel that was just short of being too fluffy around his waist, and headed into his bedroom to dress quickly and find the trickster god. Tony froze when he realized that the last time he had used his tablet he had been in bed, and that there was now no need to go looking for Loki.

Loki was perched on the end of Tony's bed, tablet resting on his lap as he flicked through page after page of information that Tony didn't want him to have. How was he even navigating it that easily? Thor had stared at Tony's phone as if it contained black magic.

Tony clutched his towel tightly around his waist and glared. "You are one creepy weirdo," he complained. "And that's mine." He stalked across the room and made to snatch the tablet before realizing that keeping the towel secure around his waist was much more important. Why did it feel so small all of a sudden?

"I'm aware whose property it is, Stark, that is why I am using it," Loki replied, eyes roving over Tony's scantily clad form and landing on the arc reactor.

Tony shot Loki one more glare before scrambling around the room to retrieve his clothing, all too aware of Loki's gaze on him, making his skin crawl. It served him right, getting naked while Loki was in the same building as he was. Once he found his clothing he quickly retreated back into the bathroom, firmly locking the door and knowing that if Loki really wanted to get through a locked door wouldn't stop him. With that thought, Tony dressed as quickly as possible.

When he finally made his way back into the bedroom Loki was gone, and the tablet was sitting in the middle of the bed, screen still lit. Tony frowned, stepping forward and picking it up to find that the file that was open contained the blueprints for his current arc reactor. Tony sighed and then noticed something at the bottom of the page: a note that had been added.

_"This does not explain why there is one in your chest."_

Either Loki had some sort of dastardly plan that involved using his arc reactor to take over the world and kill all of them, or he was merely poking and prodding to see just what would drive Tony nuts. Maybe he was bored. One thing Tony was certain: Loki was up to something and Tony needed to find out what it was.

Tony set the tablet down on his nightstand, shaking his head in resignation before turning and going back into the bathroom to finish his morning routine. He was only a few signatures and a boring meeting away from being free to go home to Malibu. The desire he felt for his personal workshop and for his life to return to its relative normality made him wonder if all of this craziness would finally stop once he got there. He doubted it, considering he was Tony Stark, but he couldn't help but hope. After all, Loki had never been to Malibu, so maybe he wouldn't be able to track Tony there. Hopefully.


	2. Chapter 2

Tony, being the lucky man he was, had to spend a few extra days in New York to pack and make sure that Stark Tower was self-sufficient, so that when he finally left he wouldn't have to turn around because of some stupid emergency. It was in these extra three days that Loki showed up once each day, the same smug, knowing look on his face, doing nothing but watching him as he packed his belongings and finished up the necessary paperwork. Tony hated doing paperwork, and the piercing gaze of his number one enemy did not make it any better.

"What do you want?" Tony snarled. It was his last day in New York, and he paused in the process of throwing his personal belongings in a duffel bag to point an accusing finger at the god standing in the corner of his room. "You keep showing up here and staring at me. Are you trying to work up the nerve to ask me out on a date? Is that it?"

Loki raised an eyebrow, his calm composer perfectly intact despite Tony's outburst. "I did not realize my presence was so unwelcome," he said coolly.

Tony resisted a scoff. "Duh. Why would a criminal who literally threw me out of a window be welcome in my personal space? Seriously, what are you on?"

"I was under the impression that as long as I was behaving myself, you would at least tolerate my company."

"I have no way of knowing if you're behaving yourself or not," Tony responded, reluctantly turning back to his duffel and zipping the top. "Of course, there's no way I can make you leave either, so I'm pretty much living by the hope that you're not up to something dastardly."

Loki didn't respond to that, electing instead to smirk at him, which Tony was finding more and more aggravating.

"You are packing your bags. Are you leaving?"

"I'm going home," Tony responded, hoisting his duffel bag over his shoulder and making a quick exit from the room, conscious of the fact that Loki was following him.

"I was under the impression that this building, the one with your name on the front, was your home."

Tony shook his head. "This is home of the Avengers and an important hub of my company, not my home. I wasn't supposed to be here for this long, but I've been a little distracted lately."

Loki watched as Tony dropped his last duffel bag next to his other suitcase.

"Jarvis, start shutting down the living floors, would you?"

"Yes, sir. Would you like me to send all surveillance footage to the home base?"

"Yes. Why don't you do that with all of the information gathered while I was here, and make sure to clear it off the Tower's databases. I'd rather not have somebody hacking into them while I'm not here. We're making the coast house my home base again."

"Beginning file transfer process. You are free to depart."

Tony smiled genuinely. "Finally." He turned to where Loki had been standing to see that he was already gone. Tony was grateful that he didn't have to leave Loki alone in the Tower or have to worry about Loki following him all the way to California. Maybe Tony was finally in for some good luck.

It was a relief to sink into the cream colored leather seats of his private jet, knowing that his home was only a few hours flight away. The more distance put between him and New York, the more distance Tony put between himself and the craziness that had engulfed him during his time there. Tony had struggled with all that he had learned while with the Avengers. It was a lot to take in when you hid all of your insecurities behind a suit of armor that you had once thought would keep you safe from anything.

Yes, Tony was very ready to leave all of that craziness behind and hopefully find long-needed solace in his personal workshop where there weren't aliens and gods, and where he didn't have to pretend to be the team player that he really wasn't. Tony could feel a sting that could not be ignored, though, that materialized in the form of the empty seats around him, making him feel utterly alone in much the same way that the empty living floors had done back in Stark Tower. Maybe returning home to Malibu would also rid him of this strange emptiness that had been growing ever since the team had left.

He must have dozed off, because the vibrations of the landing gear caused him to jerk upright in his seat. He winced and rubbed his neck at the stiffness caused by falling asleep sitting up, knowing he wasn't getting enough real sleep. When he glanced out the window he was greeted by the sight of the California coast line, and the sight forced a smile to curl on his mouth despite his discomfort.

When the jet finally landed and he disembarked with his luggage, he was greeted with the sight of his silver Audi waiting for him, glistening in the afternoon sun and improving his mood exponentially. He quickly hefted his bags into the back seat and sat himself down gratefully into the leather-upholstered driver's seat, gripping the steering wheel as a rush of happiness filled him. It had been a long time since he had really felt like he belonged anywhere, but his silver V8 Audi was like a friend, a car that would never let him down.

He revved the engine, closing his eyes at the beauty of the sound. Pulling out from the small airport parking lot, he gunned the engine and laughed. He may have broken the speed limit a few times on the drive home to his Malibu house, but with the feel of the wind in his hair and the setting sun warming his face he couldn't really muster the effort to care.

When he finally stepped through the threshold of the house, it awoke to meet him, the window panels opening to let in a flood of golden light and the displays lighting up.

"Welcome home, sir," Jarvis greeted.

"Thanks, buddy. It's great to be back."

It took very little time for him to settle in, and as he unpacked his belongings Jarvis caught him up on what had been happening here in California while he had been gone. Pepper seemed to be running the company smoothly, and there were no crises that had to be cleaned up. In fact, it was almost alarming how uneventful everything had been. Tony was beginning to suspect that trouble followed him and him only, which stung until he remembered that trouble was practically in the job description of being a hero. When he had announced himself as Iron Man, he had sold his soul to the life of being a superhero, so he wasn't allowed to complain. Superheroes attracted attention even more than billionaires, both good and bad.

Tony took great pleasure in finally locking himself away in his workshop and realizing just how much he had actually missed it as he flicked through files and suit designs with movements of his hands. Here, everything was fine-tuned to him and him alone, and it felt like coming back to a long-missed hobby that doesn't take long to relearn.

There was finally time to upgrade his suit, time where there would be no assembling of the Avengers, no more teammates barging in to ask unnecessary questions, no one at all to stop him from working himself to the bone when he wanted to. The ideas that had been festering in his head for months while he was away from his workshop could finally be put into action and stop burning in the back of his brain.

"Turn up the music, would you Jarvis?"

Black Sabbath made the walls shake and Tony easily lost himself in blueprints and suit design.

The first few days of life back in his mansion in Malibu saw him mostly in this state, face lit from the glow of his displays as he edited, designed, and let himself wind down. He only left the workshop to sleep and eat, and even that he didn't do as often as was healthy.

He had gotten so lost into the work he had sorely missed that he had almost entirely forgotten the whole "sadistic god paying him visits" situation, content to let it fade into the back of his mind like a bizarre nightmare. After all, it seemed like he was finally free of the trickster.

It was early evening, and Tony was still trudging through suit design, reclined in his chair and flicking through the displays with a lazy twitch of his hand. He was so caught up in the glow of the holograms that he didn't realize he was being watched until a figure moved into his line of vision. Tony prided himself on the fact that, though his heart rate did speed, he didn't show any outward signs of being startled.

"Jarvis, music off." The heavy rock and roll cut off abruptly, leaving the workshop in eerie silence as Tony raised an eyebrow at the intruder. All of his hopes of this strange situation ending were dashed, leaving him more than a little irritated.

"I thought leaving New York would stop you from visiting," Tony said in lieu of a greeting, continuing to edit the three-dimensional blueprint as if he wasn't on edge.

"It is child's play to track a mortal." A glance at Loki revealed that he too was gazing at the hologram.

"Just because it's easy doesn't explain why you're doing it," Tony countered, halting his work and leaning back in the rolling chair he was sitting on.

Loki reached out and flicked the hologram, causing the model to rotate quickly. "This is impressive for human science."

Tony stared at Loki, looking closely for the lie that he was sure was there, but unable to locate it. "Uh, thanks?"

Loki looked around the room, his gaze landing on each of the screens and equations that were all around where Tony was sitting, casting a blue glow on both of their faces. Tony had no idea if Loki actually understood any of it, but he seemed intrigued.

Tony continued working, conscious of the bug-under-a-microscope feeling Loki was giving him, but not willing to give the god the satisfaction of knowing he was making Tony uncomfortable.

"I wish to know more about your technology, Stark," Loki stated out of the blue, peering closely at a three dimensional model of one of the gauntlets of Tony's suit.

"What?" Tony glared in confusion at Loki's seemingly sincere expression. "You must be crazy to think that I would give up that information willingly." Tony crossed his arms.

Loki looked thoughtful. "It could be an information exchange. I also possess secrets that would make your mortal head spin."

"Do you think I'm an idiot?"

Tony saw Loki raising an eyebrow and opening his mouth to respond and cut him off. "Don't answer that."

"I believe I told you my opinion of your inventions. You are much more intelligent than most mortals, and that is why I wish to exchange knowledge with you. I do not forget the time that your technology managed to evade my mind control." He glanced around the lab and then continued in a softer voice. "I would not be able to use the knowledge against you, despite what you may think."

Tony looked at him incredulously. "Yeah, don't blame me if I don't believe you."

"Suit yourself, Stark, but knowledge of my magic and the sciences of Asgard could be extremely beneficial." Green sparks danced along his lifted fingertips before he lowered his hand and extinguished the magic.

"Yeah, not biting. I don't really have a death wish, as startling as that may seem." If Loki really wanted secrets on how his arc reactor technology worked, he could forcibly take it from Tony, seeing as that wouldn't be difficult for the powerful god. Tony shook his head and attempted to ignore the intruding god by immersing himself in his own thoughts.

The next time Tony looked up, he was alone in his workshop.

It seemed that Loki would not give up that easily. Over the next few weeks he ended up in Tony's workshop enough times that Tony no longer startled at the sudden arrival and that Tony no longer felt his skin crawl at the gaze that studiously watched him. It wasn't to say that Tony was at all okay with the situation, it was more that he had become resigned to it. The anvil had yet to fall on his head, so he continued his life as well as he could manage with the unwanted visitor.

Tony also had a huge soft spot for people who vaguely understood his technology and were genuinely fascinated in learning more, and Loki's intelligent questions and interested observation were making it more difficult than usual for Tony to keep his mouth shut. The problem was, Tony enjoyed showing off, and holding back when around someone who would actually appreciate it was wearing down his resolve.

As Tony tested the new repulsors in the gauntlets, Loki stood, leaning against the worktable and staring at him. Tony found it worrisome that he was more bothered by his lack of discomfort than the fact that Loki, God of Mischief, was standing in the same room as he was.

"Perhaps I have not been truthful enough about my motives," Loki remarked, and Tony looked up from what he was working on, eyebrows raised.

"Uh, well you haven't really explained your motives for anything recently, so…"

Loki treaded closer to where Tony was standing, the gaze he had on Tony strangely intense. "Your technology is leagues ahead of your competitors, you have unbelievable power and weaponry in your armor, and yet it is never enough; you constantly adjust and improve, determined to make what is already sufficient even better. You would work yourself to death in here if it weren't for your voice system reminding you to eat and sleep." The speech was delivered in a smooth, sure voice, and Loki's bright green gaze seemed to cut past Tony's outer shell and see right into his mind.

"Okay? You know, I appreciate a little psychological analysis as much as the next guy, but seeing as you're off your rocker, I can't really trust your medical opinion. I know Freud was a bit of a nutcase and all, but I think psychotic Norse god is pushing it a little bit. I'm not sure your research would be taken seriously in the medical society, even if you've managed just what everyone wants: a good, close look into the fashionable life of Tony Stark." Tony's babbling petered out at Loki's calm expression.

"You speak too much," Loki eventually concluded, amused.

"So I've been told," Tony responded. He tilted his head. "Was there a point to your little speech?"

Loki nodded lightly. "Stark, the reason I desire to know more about your technology, and by extension, you, is because in you, I see myself."

Tony stared at Loki blankly, unsure how to process that statement. "Really?" Tony prided himself on the ability to make intelligent conversation.

"You and I share traits that none of my former peers, warriors all of them, ever understood. I had to know everything there was to know about sorcery and magic, and I had to be able to wield it all." Loki picked up a wrench from the nearest workbench and twirled it in his hands as if to avoid looking Tony in the eye as he continued. "I would shut myself away in my study for days, convinced that the company of books and spells far surpassed the company of others my age. You are the only one that I have encountered to suffer exactly as I do, to the extent of almost complete seclusion."

Tony had no idea why Loki was telling him any of this, but he could hear the ring of truth behind the words.

"So, is it me or my science that you're interested in?" Tony questioned, feeling a little stupid and definitely out of his element.

"I am intrigued by both."

Tony recalled Thor getting angry at the television remote when he couldn't get it to work. "You know, for a guy living in a society so advanced, your brother really has a tough time with our technology," Tony stated with a smirk.

"Thor was trained to be a warrior and never taught to appreciate anything other than combat and weaponry. He could care less for magic and knowledge, not when he can swing a hammer and solve all of his problems." Loki's face twisted into a sneer as his expression and body language closed off. Apparently the mention of Thor was a sore spot. "He's not my brother."

Tony shrugged. "Thor still thinks you're his brother, and he's pretty stubborn about it, too."

"I do not care what Thor thinks," Loki snapped back.

Tony put his hands up in a placating gesture, realized he still had a gauntlet on one of his hands, and quickly lowered them. "Hey, hey, I didn't mean to press any buttons, I'm just curious."

Loki glared daggers.

"Look, I lived with Thor for a month, and you two are the only gods I know, so I can't help but compare the two of you. It's my poor attempt to understand you better. I really didn't mean to get you in a tizzy."

Tony watched as Loki's stiff posture loosened and his anger seemed to clear as if it had never been there at all. The change was startling, and it reminded Tony just what he was dealing with here; Loki was not some visitor to take lightly, he was a damaged god that could destroy Tony in a number of ways. He needed to watch his mouth a little more carefully.

"So, what is it you want to know so badly?" Tony asked cautiously.

At Loki's victorious smirk Tony held up a hand. "Don't think this is your free ticket to any information you want."

Loki's gaze lowered from his face to the front of his shirt. "I wish to know why you have that device, that arc reactor, in your chest."

He should have known it was coming, but it still caught him by surprise. "Uhh…"

"I am assuming it's a sensitive topic, if your eloquent reply is anything to go by."

Tony scratched his goatee and looked away with a small sigh. "I suppose if you wanted to kill me, you could do it in plenty of creative ways that don't involve my arc reactor."

"That's the spirit."

Tony tapped the glow lightly with his fingers. "It keeps me alive by keeping the shrapnel in my chest out of my heart. The story of how I got it is a gripping one, but you have to reach friendship level fifteen before you unlock my tragic backstory."

Loki watched him thoughtfully, looking as if he was making some sort of decision. Tony waited patiently for him to speak.

"I will answer any question you ask about my past if you tell me the tale," he said eventually, eyes flickering between Tony's face and chest.

Tony tilted his head. A chance to know more about Loki's motives, straight from the villain himself. Fury would kill him if he ever found out Tony had given up an opportunity like this.

But Tony wasn't going to do it for Fury. He was curious about Loki, because under that sharp, cold exterior Tony could see the jagged edges of something broken, and it hit much too close to home for his comfort. Tony longed to know more, and he was willing to give up parts of himself to do so.

"Alright, we have a deal." Tony held his armor-less hand out for a handshake.

Loki looked at the hand with a sour turn to his mouth. "You have my word, but I will not shake your hand."

Tony wasn't going to ask. He lowered his hand awkwardly, brushing it on his jeans to make up for his discomfort. Maybe Loki had a cootie problem; can't touch the filthy mortal.

"Here's my question: Where did all the sibling strife between you and Thor come from? I mean, it seemed pretty fresh during your stint on Earth and Thor seems like a pretty nice guy to cause all of that anger." Thor hadn't told any of them much about what was up with the relationship between the two of them, and none of them had asked. Tony had assumed that it was a no-go zone, and he didn't do well with people in emotional pain.

Loki's hands clenched into fists by his sides and his jaw worked as he struggled to control his reaction to the question. "This dirty workshop is not the place for a conversation such as this," he bit out after a tense pause. It wasn't a refusal to answer, not by a long shot.

Tony nodded, unscrewing the metal glove from his hand and placing it on a worktable. "Want to take this pity party to the living room?" he asked, turning back to the god.

Loki nodded silently and followed him as he exited the workshop and made his way up the stairs. Tony absolutely refused to overthink this situation, as strange as it was, otherwise he might come to his senses and decide that maybe he should just move to Mexico and change his name. He blanked his mind and sat down at in the living room, watching as Loki gracefully folded himself down onto the white sofa, which contrasted almost ridiculously with his dark hair and clothing.

Realizing he was about to tell Loki, the God of Chaos, his most painful memories, Tony decided that he needed alcohol. He reached towards the shelf under the coffee table and pulled out a bottle of scotch and two glasses, raising the bottle and giving Loki a questioning look. The dark-haired god shook his head and crossed his legs gracefully. Oh well. Tony poured himself a glass and took a generous sip.

Loki dove into his story headfirst like a jump into a cold pool to avoid drawing out the discomfort. "The first detail that you need to know to understand my tale is that of the rivalry between Asgard and Jotunheim, a conflict that has gone on since long before my birth," Loki started, settling back in his seat. "You see, the Jotuns, Frost Giants as they are called, were a feared race in Asgard, something that mothers told their children about at night to instill caution."

"They sound like something out of a little kid's fairy tale," Tony commented, unthinking. Loki glared at him and he grimaced. "Sorry, I'll shut up. Continue."

Loki gave him a measured look before continuing. "As children, Thor and I were told by Odin of their barbaric ways and how we should always watch our backs. We were told of how the Asgardians defeated them in a long and bloody battle to preserve the freedom of Midgard, told of how Odin the Allfather prevented a second Ice Age on Earth. I grew up hating Frost Giants, as did my…as did Thor."

From there Loki launched into the tale of two young boys, both told they were destined to be king, when in reality only Thor was to have the throne. He told of Thor's disaster of a coronation, of their quest to Jotunheim for revenge, and of Thor's banishment to Midgard. His words were woven carefully, and Tony found himself captivated by the smooth voice of the trickster. The drink in his hand was forgotten.

He learned of an Asgardian prince's discovery of his true parentage and his father's dismissal of his suffering. He felt the carelessness of the Allfather as if it was a slight against him personally, a feeling he was all too familiar with. Tony could almost taste the desperation Loki had felt when his attempt to destroy Jotunheim and gain his father's approval had failed.

When the tale was finally finished, when Loki told of his fall from the Bifrost and how he had drifted through nothingness until being pulled in by a terrible creature by the name of Thanos, Loki's voice finally petered out and he refused to make eye contact with Tony. Looking at the way Loki's face pinched, and noticing the downward cast of his shoulders, Tony wondered if this was maybe the first time Loki had told anyone the full story. It obviously was causing him emotional pain, and Tony wondered how the knowledge of his past could be so important that Loki divulge this personal and painful story.

"Jesus," Tony breathed, unable to say anything else.

Loki looked at him sharply, eyes narrowed.

Tony took a deep breath, attempting to center himself. "Let me tell you, you have one screwed up backstory."

"You now understand why I am slightly sore about the fact that I am adopted," Loki intoned.

Tony coughed and took a large swig of his previously forgotten scotch, swallowing with a wince before responding. "I'll say. While I don't really agree with the whole attempt-to-take-over-the-world thing, I suppose I get it."

Loki eyed him silently, as if daring him to say more about Loki's story.

"Now, my turn"

With a strange expression on his face the tension slowly eased out of Loki's shoulders, and he watched Tony curiously.

The amount of personal information Loki had given him was staggering, making Tony feel less apprehensive about telling his own tale.

He began it with the story of a young Tony Stark with an unimpressed father and a man named Obadiah who had cared for him like a real father should. The story of his betrayal still stung, but the honest interest on Loki's face made it easier. If Loki hadn't cracked during his story, then Tony sure as hell wasn't cracking during his own.

He told of the cave and Yinsen and the shrapnel in his chest, the explanation of his escape flowing easily off his tongue. In fact, this was perhaps the easiest he had ever told this to anyone. Maybe he thought that Loki had had enough pain to not judge Tony based on his. Maybe Tony had found someone who he could relate to, even if that someone was a god who was at least a thousand years old and had tried to take over Earth.

"That's why I have a hole in my chest and now run a strictly clean-energy business. When you see the monsters who are using your creations against the people you meant to protect, you realize your life might need some rethinking."

Tony stared into the last few drops of his drink, aware of Loki's gaze, but feeling self-conscious enough that he didn't want to look up.

"We have much in common, Stark," Loki said eventually, the tone of his voice causing Tony to finally raise his head and look at him.

"I suppose we do. Too bad the next time you attack Earth I'll still have to kick your ass."

A sour expression twisted Loki's handsome features.

"I will not be attacking Midgard any time soon, I assure you," he replied bitterly.

"You know why I can't just believe you that easily," Tony chided, swirling the small amount of liquid left in his glass and then throwing it back.

"Your belief does not change the truth. What is, is."

Suddenly, Loki turned his head as if he had heard something, sitting perfectly still. Tony couldn't hear a thing as he watched Loki's strange behavior. Loki turned back to the genius, annoyed.

"I apologize, but I must depart."

Before Tony could even open his mouth to reply, Loki was gone.

"Jarvis, there's no one here, is there?"

"No, sir, I would have alerted you immediately." Jarvis almost sounded offended.

"I know." Tony set the empty glass down on the table with a strange feeling in his stomach, almost as if he had swallowed something slippery that was now squirming in his gut. Tony swallowed heavily and decided to call it a night. His dreams were filled with dark-haired boys trying in vain to earn the adoration of their fathers and not succeeding.


	3. Chapter 3

In the days that followed the odd story time, a truce formed between Tony and Loki. Loki accompanied Tony in his workshop, usually perched on the end of a worktable, watching him work. Every once in a while he would ask about an implement of Tony's technology, which Tony would explain in exchange for tidbits about Loki's magic. He learned how Loki converted the energy flowing through his blood into illusions to be crafted by his hands, how the magic was a part of him that his mother had taught him to hone in on. The magic was a part of him.

Loki was there often enough that some of the discomfort Tony had originally felt had started to fade. Tony still had no idea what Loki was planning, but as long as Loki wasn't actively destroying anything, Tony found he didn't really mind the company.

"The power in your arc reactor greatly resembles that which flows through my body," Loki said one afternoon, out of the blue.

Tony turned to him. "Really?"

Loki stepped next to him in front of the hologram that was currently displaying the chest piece of his newest suit design where it hooked up to the arc reactor. "With that arc reactor in your chest, you have manually achieved what many Æsir are born with. With your suit of armor, you have become like a god."

Tony blinked sideways at Loki. "I suppose you could say that… Wait, did you just call me a god?"

Loki studied the design for a moment longer, the bare bones of which were sitting on the work table on the other end of the room in the beginning steps of the assembly process. "You are nothing but a mortal, yet you designed armor that brings you above that. Humans may not be a race with immense strength, but they make up for it in determination and innovation. You work so hard for creatures with lives so short."

"It's not like the human race to just lie on its back and die when the going gets tough."

Loki eyed him sideways, expression carefully guarded. "You are perhaps the embodiment of these human ideals."

Tony felt uncomfortable at that statement. "Not really. I may be smart and creative, but my morals aren't exactly commendable. I may have an alter ego in Iron Man, but the heroic qualities that Iron Man has in droves don't reach as far as Tony Stark."

Loki's eyebrows furrowed. "You cannot think that the lives you save and the good work you do as Iron Man doesn't extend to you. Whether you are wearing your fancy suit of armor or not, you are still the same person."

Tony shrugged. "It's just the way it works. The suit comes off, and I'm not the iconic hero anymore; I'm Tony Stark, the billionaire with drinking problems and no impulse control."

Loki's gaze was trained on the hologram again. "Your suit does have its merits, and you created it, whether or not you believe yourself to be a hero."

"It keeps me from dying often enough. Especially when angry gods either throw fancy hammers at me, or when they decide to throw me out of a window."

"Those wishing to kill you would be foolish to do it when you are within reach of your suit. If I wished to kill you, I would do it at a time you are the most vulnerable and just like any other mortal, quite far from being the hero Iron Man." Loki's statement was offhand, but it served as a grim reminder to Tony not to trust the god, even if they had been getting along better. The words were a chill down Tony's spine, and the thought that Loki's visits were all an elaborate plan to get him killed ran through his mind again. He had really let his caution ease recently, and that was the quickest ticket to get him killed.

Tony took a step back from the table, studying Loki closely. The god wasn't even looking at him, still examining the hologram, and his posture was relaxed as if he hadn't just threatened Tony's life. When he realized Tony was staring at him, he glanced Tony's way and sighed at the expression he saw there. "Do not worry yourself, Stark, I do not mean to kill you."

"It'd help if you didn't threaten me. And you know I can't trust you."

Loki looked irritated. "It does not matter if you believe me or not. Like I said, I do not have the means to kill you, nor do I want to."

"If you don't have plans to kill me, why are you being so secretive?" Tony asked exasperatedly, gesturing jerkily. "You've never once hinted at why you've decided to stalk me, and I can't do anything about you being here, which sucks, by the way."

Loki seemed to be sizing him up and coming to a decision. "What if I told you that I have been intruding on your privacy because I'm bored?"

"Bored?" Tony echoed.

"Wouldn't you rather I came here and discussed science with you than wreaking havoc elsewhere? That had been the original plan." A wry grin twisted his mouth. "Actually, my first thought when coming here was to drive you mad with paranoia. I had assumed at the time that breaking your brilliant mind would be entertaining, yet you proved to be entertaining all on your own. For once, your running mouth saved you rather than getting you into trouble."

Tony swallowed. "Gee, thanks for that." Tony didn't doubt Loki's abilities to drive a mind to insanity, especially one like Tony who teetered on the brink and was currently living on his own. "You know, there are billions of people here on Earth. Why me?"

Loki shrugged, an action that looked strange on him. "I don't know many others on Midgard, and I remembered you to be quick-witted." He paused, shifting his weight and glancing away from Tony. "If you really wish me gone, you should say so. I had thought our conversations to be enriching, but I do not have the energy to argue with you."

Was this a chance to finally be rid of his intruder, to finally have the empty house he had been craving when with the Avengers? Tony could almost feel the echoing silence closing in on him, and he cringed.

Loki had a smug twist to his features. "I thought not. Whether you admit it or not, you are lonely here in this place, and I am more exciting than some broad you should pick up on the street."

Unfortunately, it was true, and it made him wonder just how far he had fallen. In his mind's eye he saw the terror of New York on that fateful day; saw the blood spatters on the Captain American playing cards.

"I am not an admirable character, Stark, but keep your own history in mind."

He was right. Tony had just as much blood on his hands as Loki did; he had just had more time to try to wash it clean. If Tony were truthful with himself, Loki was like a twisted mirror, an image of what Tony could have become with slightly different circumstances. Tony had found ways to cope, ways to make sure his demons didn't overtake him. Loki hadn't been so lucky.

And Loki, if logic served correctly, had either received or was receiving his punishment in Asgard, which Tony imagined was probably brutal. He wondered what it was, and how Loki was still able to appear in Stark Tower as often as he did.

"If it's any consolation, I'll not be able to come here indefinitely. There are restrictions that I, unfortunately, must abide by."

Tony wondered if this was part of Loki's punishment, but he knew asking would be unwise. Tony eyed Loki a moment more before turning back to his work, with more questions about the god in his head than had been there before.

It was not much longer until Tony was soldering the last pieces of his newest Iron Man suit together and setting down his tools in triumph. Of course, he wasn't really done until he took it for a test drive, so he only allowed himself a few moments of content before he waved the hand with the brand new electronic ring on it and held out his arms as the suit assembled itself around him. The ring had been a great idea, honestly. He could wear it at all times, and in emergency the suit would be called right to him. This was the closest he had ever gotten to a suit that was magnetized to him and him alone, and he figured it was a good compromise. The ring was fashionable too, if Tony said so himself.

It was when he was putting the helmet over his head that Loki appeared, standing in front of a worktable with his arms crossed over his chest, eying the suit.

"I see you've completed your project," Loki said in place of a greeting.

"Sure have. It's time for the test flight." Tony flipped the visor down and watched as the displays oriented themselves and synced to Jarvis's mainframe, dancing green and blue lights that labeled and ordered the environment around him in a way that was immensely pleasing to the inventor. He was given pause by the readings of the energy signature that was Loki, only because they were different than he remembered them. But then again, Loki could be using different magical energy than he had with the Tesseract and the scepter.

"The best view'll be from the roof," he said over his shoulder, and then he lit up his thrusters and expertly maneuvered out of the workshop, through the garage, and out into the darkening nighttime sky.

Tony gave himself a mental pat on the back for the smooth flight. With each new suit, it was more and more an extension of his body rather than a bulky weight encasing him. As he flew a long loop around Malibu, Jarvis ran diagnostics and made sure everything was in working order. So far there were no problems.

When Tony was sure that any terrible bugs would have showed themselves, he took a slow, wide path back to the house so that he could appreciate the clear night. The stars were just coming out, and they painted the sky with sparks of light. Tony reminded himself that he needed a little beauty in his crazy, petal-to-the-metal lifestyle, even if it came in the form of marveling at the sky during the suit's flight test.

As Tony neared the house, his displays zeroed in on the figure that was perched on the edge of the roof, looking up at him as he flew overhead and came in for a gentle landing. Loki stood and came towards Tony.

"I assume everything about the suit exceeded expectations?"

Tony flipped up the visor and gave Loki a winning smile. "Of course it did. I had no doubts."

"Such humility," Loki replied sardonically.

Tony chuckled and made his way back down to his workshop, missing the specialized landing ramp and machinery that allowed him to remove his suit so easily at Stark Tower. He wondered how difficult it would be to install the ramp here. It was much smoother than what he had in his workshop, and now that he was done updating his suit, he could take on a new project.

Once in his workshop, Tony stepped onto the platform and allowed the machinery to begin removing the successfully updated suit.

"Another project well done," he said as he stepped off of the platform, straightening his shirt.

Loki was back to leaning against a worktable as if he hadn't taken a trip to the roof to watch Tony test his suit. "From nothing but an idea to a fully-functioning, advanced piece of armor. What an extremely fascinating process."

"Yeah, well, it's not the first suit I've designed," Tony responded, attempting to control some of the organized chaos that was his workshop by moving tools back to their proper spots and running an already grubby rag over the greasy workbench before deciding that it wasn't worth it.

Loki gave a meaningful glance to the other suits lining the back wall. "No, obviously not."

"What brings you to my neck of the woods today?" Tony asked, finally awarding the trickster with his full attention.

Loki shrugged. "Perhaps I've been devising a plain to take over Midgard successfully, with my newly-acquired knowledge of human technology."

"Yeah right," Tony chucked. "You learned from your mistake the first time, right?" Tony hadn't expected a truthful response from the god of lies anyway.

Loki was extremely calm for Tony just having brought up his failed attempt at New York. "Midgard is not worth the effort. Besides, I do not have the resources or energy necessary to do any detailed planning." Loki shifted, crossing his arms as he leaned back against the bench, and Tony's eyes were drawn to what he was wearing. Gone was the leather and in its place was a simple green tunic and black pants that hugged his legs, making him seem much smaller and much less foreboding than his in usual outfit. Tony wasn't particularly sure what he thought of Loki in casual clothing, to be honest.

"Are you okay, Stark?" Loki asked with an eyebrow raised.

Tony shook his head. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. It's been a busy day, and all that." He looked away from Loki and finished closing out his work on the screens, feeling he deserved a break.

"You want to watch a movie?"

Loki looked surprised by the non sequitur. "It depends," he began cautiously. "What is a movie?"

Tony blinked in surprise and then laughed. "Just follow me. I bet you'll enjoy it." Tony made for the stairs and towards the living room, turning on lights as he went, and then plopped down on the couch in front of the large television.

"This is not the thing with the dresses, is it?" Loki asked as he eased himself down onto the other side of the couch. That he seemed willing to humor Tony was surprising. Tony hadn't even thought he would sit down.

"We have much more to watch than pointless reality television. That's something single moms watch." Tony paused. "And Clint."

Loki eyed him. "You were watching it, if I remember correctly."

"No, I was staring moodily as the screen changed colors," Tony responded. He picked up the remote and started flipping through the movies available on Netflix.

"Hmm… any recommendations, Jarvis?"

"Perhaps Mr. Laufeyson would enjoy a classic?"

"Ooh, James Bond! Perfect." Tony turned on a 007 movie and put his feet up on the coffee table. "I'm sure you'll enjoy this."

Loki didn't seem convinced.

As the movie played, Tony was impressed by Loki's ability to keep up a stream of comments cleanly overtop of what was happening on screen.

"That does not seem realistic."

"It's not supposed to."

"He would not have survived that."

"He's James Bond, he can survive anything."

"Who is human, and therefore mortal."

"Just shut up and watch, would you?" Tony said exasperatedly.

Eventually, Loki fell reluctantly silent, and they watched without interruption. Tony watched Loki out of the corner of his eye and saw that, through all the complaining, he was enthralled with the movie. Tony counted it as a win.

Halfway through, Tony got up to grab a soda and a bag of chips which Loki refused to partake in. By the time the movie ended, Loki was still sitting calmly on the couch.

"So?" Tony prompted, facing the god.

Loki tilted his head in deliberation. "Human entertainment is strange, yet fascinating," he responded with a twitch that could have been a shrug. "Completely unrealistic, but indeed entertaining."

"That's the point," Tony stated, standing. Staring at the empty can of soda on the table and feeling the dryness of his throat, Tony decided he wanted a drink. He moved toward the bar. "After movie alcohol?" he asked over his shoulder.

At the silence, Tony turned to see that the god had a strangely unhappy expression on his face. "No thank you, Stark."

Tony shrugged and poured himself a glass, and when he looked up again his living room was empty. With a sigh, Tony figured he would never really understand the god like he understood Thor. Thor was a warrior, and most of his emotions and motives were written on his muscled sleeve, while Loki was cloaked in shadow and hid everything under a smirk glimmering with mischief. The two couldn't be more different.

As Tony made his way back to the couch, sipping at the drink in his hand, he wondered why Thor's younger brother had formed a strange obsession with him.

Tony dreamed that night, but not of the usual horrors that filled his nighttime hours.

_He was standing on a cliff that was overlooking a frosted plain, the full moon casting an eerie glow over the flat emptiness and making the grass shine like glassy water. Tony was looking for something in that emptiness, though, and he didn't know what it was. He felt lost and unsure of himself, and there wasn't a star in the sky to guide him. He was utterly alone in this haunted place._

"_Looking for something?" a smooth voice ghosted into his ear, and the breath it cast over the side of his face was warm and spoke of life. Another life in this lonely place was something that should be held on to. Tony wished to turn and gaze at his companion, but he was rooted to the spot as the voice spoke again. "I admit I am also searching, though I think I have finally found what I am looking for."_

_Tony's shoulders were taken in a firm grip and the warm breath turned into soft lips tracing the shell of his ear. The voice was familiar, but Tony couldn't place it. Nothing was clear to him, and the touch of his admirer addled his mind. He was forced to remain in uncertainty and confusion, wanting but not in control._

_The voice was now a murmur. "Perhaps I will win over my prize much sooner than I thought."_

Tony woke up blearily, grasping at the wispy edges of the dream but unable to remember more than the impression of a warm body behind him and the feeling that there was something he was missing. He stared up at the dark ceiling of his room in bewilderment and then slowly fell back into a dreamless slumber.


End file.
